Question: Robert and Suzanne were married. Robert is aged 71 and Suzanne was 74 when she died in 2023 following a long-term illness. They each had their own traditional individual retirement arrangements (IRAs), and Robert inherited Suzanne’s IRA as the sole designated beneficiary. Prior to her death, Suzanne started taking her required minimum distributions (RMDs) from her IRA account. How should Robert treat this inherited account?
Answer: Robert may treat Suzanne’s IRA account in one of two ways: (1) withdraw funds as if it was his own (2) withdraw funds as a beneficiary based on either of their life expectancies.
To treat the inherited IRA as if it were his own, Robert can roll over the inherited IRA assets into his own eligible retirement plan, including his IRA, and treat those assets as his own [§ 402(c)(8)(B)]. Since he is over the age of 59½, he can withdraw these assets anytime without a penalty. For RMD purposes, since Robert has not reached age 73, this option enables him to delay taking RMDs until he reaches age 73 rather than continuing Suzzane’s RMDs.
Since he is the sole designated beneficiary of the account, Robert has another option. He can remove the RMDs from Suzanne’ account based on his life expectancy. Since Suzanne died after the year 2020 and her required beginning date (RBD), the RMD is calculated based on the longer of Robert’s life expectancy or the distribution method used at her date of death.
Under the SECURE 2.0 Act, beginning in 2023, the RBD is April 1 of the year following the year in which the account owner reached age 73 for individuals who turn 72 after Dec. 31, 2022. It is age 75 for individuals who reach age 74 after Dec. 31, 2032.
The surviving spouse must withdraw funds over their life using Table 1 - Single Life Expectancy, Appendix B, Publication 590-B, based on their age at the end of the applicable distribution calendar year and recalculated annually. Or, if longer, they can use the deceased owner’s single life expectancy calculated in the year of death and reduced by one each year thereafter. (For aged 71, life expectancy factor as 18.0, for 2024, then use factor of 17.0).
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